Door operating device



Nov. 17, 1931. .1. E. BALEs ET Al.

DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed 'May l. 1930 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE I JAMES E. BALES AND CARL T. CHRISTENSEN, OFAURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO LYON METAL PRODUCTS, INCORPORATED, OFAURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS DOOR OPERATING DEVICEApplication mea May 1,

This invention relates to a cabinet door operating device andparticularly to an operating device for swinging doors.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a door operatingdevice which will assist in opening a swinging door when it is swung apredetermined distance and which will close the door when it is moved apredetermined distance toward shut position.

Another object is to provide an improved spring controlled device forkeeping a swinging cabinet door in closed position 'and which assists inopening a swinging door when it is opened a predetermined distance.

A further object is to provide a new and novel device of simpleconstruction which will maintain a swinging door in closed position,which permits the door to be opened easily, and which assists in closingthe door when it is moved toward closed position a predetermineddistanceJ A still further object is to provide a cabinet door operatingdevice for swinging doors which is efi'icient in operation and whichcan' be readily and economically manufactured. Numerous other objectsand advantages will be apparent throughout the progress of the followingspecification..

The invention comprises in general a bracket member which is ada ted tobe fastened to the inside of a door jamb. A member is pivotallyconnected to the bracket and vhas a roller mounted on its fiee or outerend. A bolt is loosely connected to the member and a flange on thebracket to permit movement of the member relative to the bracket. Aspring is arranged about the bolt and confined between one face of themember and a flange on the bracket. A roller engaging member is fixed toa swinging door and acts against the tension of the spring. This doorengaging member is provided with faces against which the roller engages.When one lface of the door engaging member 1s engaged with the roller,the door will be. maintained iii shut position. When the door is opened,the door engaging member. will move the member against the tension ofthe spring so that the door can be mopened. As soon vas a high pointprovided on the door yengaging 1930. Serial No. 448,914.

member passes beyond the roller, the roller will engage the othersurface and tend to push the door outwardly. In closing, the rollermember is firstl pushed against the ten sion of the spring until theroller rides over the high point of the door engaging member. As theroller passes over the high point of the door engaging member, it willengage the other roller contacting surface and pull the door shut.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of theinvention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. l is a detail front elevation of acabinet or other structure uponwhich the inven tion is applied.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. l

Fig. 3 is a detail elevation partly in s ection showing the improveddoor operating device.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates vertical uprights between whichaframe 6 1s arranged. Hinges 7 are operatively connected to the frame 6to swingingly hold doors 8 in position. The doors 8 may be p i'ovidedwith handles or knobs 9 for opening and closing the same. The uprights 5and the frame 6 are referably made of sheet metal and may be astenedtogether by means of a bracket 10 which is operatively connected to theuprights andto the frame. The bracket may be fastened tothe upright inany convenient manner such as by welding, and it may be'fastened to theframe in any convenient manner such as by employing threaded members 11,Fig. 2. The bracket has a substantially horizontal body portion 12, arear upturned angel, and a front downturned flange 14. The downturnedange 14 engagesthe inside of the uprights and frame as clearly shown inFig. 2.

A roller arm 15 which is preferably made of sheet metal and preferablyformed channel-shaped is pivotally connected to the body 12 of thebracket as indicated at 16. The back 17 of the channel-shaped member 'iscut away at 18, Fig. 2, and the sides 19 of the channel-shaped memberare extended angularly to provide a pair of spaced ends 20"be tweenwhich a roller 21 is revolubly mounted.

A bolt 22 extends through the back 17 of the roller arm 15 and throughthe vertical flange 13 on the bracket 10, a nut 23 being provided on theend of the bolt to hold it in position. A spring 24.- surrounds the bolt22 and is restricted between the back 17 of the `member 15 and theupturned flange 13 on the bracket 10. lThe roller arm 15 is, therefore,permitted to 'swing on its pivot against the tension of the spring 24,its movement being restricted by the length of the bolt 22.

A metal plate 25 is fixed to the inside of a door 8 and has its outerfree end 26 bent to provide a cam member 27 having cam surfaces 28 and29. The roller 21 is adapted to engage vthe surfaces 28 and 29 of thecam member 27. In the position shown in Fig. 2 the roller 21 is engagedwith the cam surface 28 to hold the door in closed position, the rollerarm being 'affected by the tension of the spring 24 thereagainst. Inopening, the door is pulled b v its handle 9 until the roller 21 passesover the high point 30 of the cam member, the opening of the doorcompressing the spring. As the door is being opened, the roller 21 willbear against the cam surface 29 and due to the spring pressure againstthe roller, assists in opening the door. In closing the door, the roller21 will be engaged with the cam surface 29. Pressure against the doorcauses the roller arm to move rearwardly against the tension of thespring 24 until the roller 21 passes the high point 30 of the cammember. As soon as the roller passes over the high point 30, the actionof the spring against the roller arm causes the roller to be pressedaga-inst the cam surface 28 to assist in closing the door and kp it inclosed position. The invention provides a simple and inexpensive devicefor assisting in opening and closing swinging doors and for maintainingthem in closed position. The bracket arm assists in holding the frame tothe upright and also provides a simple and inexpensive support for thedoor roller. The roller` arm is preferably made out of sheet metal whichis bent to the proper form and configuration. The entire device isefficient, can be applied to existing doors and frames, and may bereadily and economically manufactured. f

Changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of thevarious parts without departing. from the spirit of the invention orsacrificing any of its ad vantages, and the right is hereby reserved tomake all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the followingclaims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows: 1. In combination, a platehaving a turned ledge for fastening the plate to a door j amb, achannel-shaped. arm pivoted to said plate and having spaced ends, aroller pivoted to said arm and arranged between said spaced ends, aturned ledge on said plate, a bolt passing through said ledge and armand loosely connecting said arm to said ledge, a spring about the boltand urging the arm in a predetermined direction, a plate adapted to beapplied to a door in juxtaposition to said roller and having atriangularly-shaped end for engagementwith the roller when the door isin certain positions, said rolleI` engaging one side of said end andholding the door in closed position, said roller tending to push thedoor open when engaging the other side of said end.

2. In combination, a horizontal plate hav ing a ledge bent therefrom forfastening the plate to a door jamb, a U-shaped arm pivoted r to saidplate and having spaced ends, a roller pivoted to said arm andai-rangedbetween said spaced ends, a second ledge bent on said plate, a boltpassing through said arm and said second ledge and'loosely connectingthe armto said ledge and limiting the movement of said arm, 'a springabout the .bolt between the ledge and the. arm and urging the arm in apredetermined direction, a plate adapted to be applied to a door injuxtaposition to said roller,y said last named plate being bent to forma triangularly-shaped member adapted to be engaged by the roller whenthe door is in a certain position, said roller engaging one side of saidmember to hold the door in closed position, said roller tending to pushthe door open when engaging the other side of said member.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

JAMES E. BALES.

CARL T. CHRISTENSAEN.

